


Over Time and Space, Love and Change

by sevsgirl72



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-05
Updated: 2012-12-05
Packaged: 2017-11-20 08:33:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/583331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevsgirl72/pseuds/sevsgirl72
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spock Prime seeks a new and old fate that may induce some paradoxical problems </p><p>Disclaimer: Paramount owns them, I'm only using them for my own amusement</p>
            </blockquote>





	Over Time and Space, Love and Change

As Spock walked away from his younger self the corners of his lips quirked up in silent laughter. This alternate Spock will live an interesting life with Jim Kirk and yet, it seemed like he had doomed his other self. But he would not have it any other way.

Reflecting on all the times that Jim’s illogical instincts frustrated him, Spock’s amusement grew. It was already evident that this Spock was more open to the foils of humans and he was sure that his advice to stay with Starfleet would be heeded; he would never have denied himself those adventures.

But it wasn’t just the loss of his association with Jim that he couldn’t let Spock get away from; it was knowing that with Jim came Leonard.

Spock hadn’t allowed himself to think about the doctor before now. In his time he’d only been without him for a few months. To know that he was here, somewhere, and out of reach, opened up a feelings so immensely painful it was frightening.

He’d learnt long ago to accept the illogical feelings that his love for Leonard created and so, in some complex way it was quite logical that he was already on his way to the medical bay.

Unlike what he’d told Jim initially, his meeting the doctor would not cause some massive paradoxical effect, and after already talking the other Spock into staying with the Enterprise he was quite interested to see what Leonard’s alternate was like; interested to see if his and this timeline’s Spock share the same fate; a fate with Leonard McCoy.

And, of course, there was not a doubt in his mind that the new CMO of the USS Enterprise was in medical, making his last minute equipment checks, before joining his friend on board their new home.

***

Spock entered the medical bay amidst chaotic activity. Young cadets ran all over the place packing storage boxes by the door to be transported to the Enterprise. It was noisy and dizzying, but at the middle of it all Spock heard a voice, though slightly different than the one he'd known, he recognized easily.

“Look kid, I’m a doctor not a pack horse!” McCoy yelled at a young cadet fumbling with medical equipment. “Don’t over fill those away kits.”

Spock watched the scene fondly, Leonard was the master of his domain, one foot in Sick Bay and you followed his instruction. This McCoy was no different in that respect, yet he did look different. Gone were the blue eyes of his partner and the shoulder’s were broader but as he heard this new McCoy talking to himself while checking the inventory, it was the same humoured intonation of his Leonard.

“Givin’ me 100 hypo-sprays, damn Fleet doesn’t know Jim Kirk yet, I’m going to need at least a thousand.”

McCoy finally noticed a few of the cadet’s were distracted and turned towards the door, surprised that an ambassador, a Vulcan ambassador, was standing in the middle of this bedlam.

“There’s a doctor next door over.”

“I am not in need of medical assistance, Leonard.”

“There’s only one Vulcan I know ‘round here, and he don’t call me Leonard.” McCoy said with a furrowed brow. “But you’re definitely not him, either.”

Spock thought about whether or not to straight out tell him who he was, or at least how much to tell this man.  “You are wrong doctor, I am.”

McCoy stopped and glanced at him. “And here I thought you elves didn’t have a sense of humour.”

“My name is Spock, Dr. McCoy.”

The cadet’s that had been scrambling around the place were now spectators to this odd stand off between the two men, glancing back and forth between them. McCoy stared at this stranger and as ridiculous as his words were, there was something in the way he said it – they were true. He’d heard the rumours of course, but he hadn’t believed them. Just thinking about how it was even possible left McCoy glaring at the man.

“Figures. I’d start getting use to one and now there’s two of you.”

“That is pleasing to hear and part of the reason I am here. May we speak somewhere?”

McCoy nodded before finally noticing that all work had stopped and quickly got the cadets moving again with orders to take the lot of equipment to the hangar for transport. Spock noticed his accent getting thicker the quicker he talked; another similarity time and space could not change.

“I gotta get the last of my things packed up, and I’m not missing the shuttle, so unless you mind the walk my quarters will have to do.”

Spock raised a brow, “You do not trust the transporter.”  

McCoy gave him a terse look. It had been a statement, not a question, but he mumbled something about unnatural splitting of molecules before motioning Spock to follow him out the door.

***

They fell into stride easily on the walk, reminding Spock of the many times with Leonard that he had crossed this same court yard. The building that their shared quarters had been in didn’t exist here, but the park that had taken its place was a welcomed alternative. Leonard would have enjoyed it and maybe this one. Leonard looked at it with longing and Spock filed it as yet another similarity. Even in this time line Spock suspected that this park and the adventures to follow would be a poor substitute for Leonard’s Georgia home.

While they walked, Spock summarized his journey and McCoy listened interrupting only as Spock finished telling of his meeting with Kirk.

“Course it would just slip Jim’s mind to tell me about something this.”

“He was under the impression that if anyone knew I existed, world ending paradoxes would occur.”

McCoy laughed “If it had been Jim in your situation, he would have told himself everything, just to feed his ego and become the best Starfleet captain in history.”

“Indeed.” Spock said softly glancing at the doctor; he enjoyed the sound of the man’s laugh. He had no doubt McCoy was partially right as well, Jim would have been happy to impart all he knew to his younger self, but more likely to save him from the pain that certain events will cause should they happen again. 

There were many things he himself could think of that would be beneficial to change, like finding the Botany Bay or making sure Leonard never visits the mirror universe, if even that could exist here, but those are, were, such defining moments in their life together. Though they’d caused pain, in the end, they defined their relationship, their lives and only strengthened their love. If only these two will be as fortunate.

They’d arrived at McCoy’s quarters and silence fell between them. The door opened and Spock followed McCoy inside, staying only a few feet into the room, McCoy got straight to packing, shoving a pile of clothes in one of the two transport boxes he had on the floor and picked up the conversation.

“So, is that why you’re here? You just wanted to tell me what Jim didn’t?”

Spock didn’t answer right away so McCoy disappeared into another room and Spock could hear him moving things around.

“I was … curious.”

The movement stopped and McCoy’s popped back around the corner.

“Curious?”

Spock inclined his head in affirmation and McCoy shook his head in slight disbelief before disappearing again. This gave Spock a moment to observe McCoy’s rooms. There was a picture of McCoy and Jim on the left on the shelf next to some books, an ancient stethoscope and a little model of a shuttlecraft. Missing completely were all traces of a family. 

His Leonard had always had a picture of Joanna somewhere and even one of Jocelyn, Joanna and the doctor himself. Spock picked up the picture of Jim and Leonard, the two familiar strangers, obviously taken just after joining Starfleet: Jim with a grin of his face and his arm around McCoy. The doctor wore his own brand of smile yet it gave Spock the impression that this McCoy was very much alone even in his friendship with Jim. 

Jim was destined to be the captain of the Enterprise and everyone came second to her. Spock often thought that it was this that brought the doctor and himself together. They were there for each other and in their love and loyalty to Jim.

McCoy came back with his arms full. He dropped the load into one of the two boxes and closed it up before standing back and watching the Vulcan for a moment. It was mind blowing considering all the time and space this man had seen and yet, as McCoy saw the picture he was looking at. He realized that none of it mattered because this Spock was now alone, and was no doubt lonely. Sure, as much as Vulcan’s didn’t want to believe they have emotion, McCoy knew better now and to be thrown back in time with all his friends and family gone, then stuck living with versions of them: it had to be painful.

“I’m sorry.” McCoy said laying his hand on Spock’s shoulder.

"If anything it is I that should be apologizing doctor for depriving you of a life I knew to be a full and contented life by your own standards, but it is... appreciated." Spock smiled softly at the doctor’s misplaced empathy; a quality so true to Leonard. Maybe the doctor’s eyes weren’t as dark as he first thought. "More than you know."

McCoy took his hand away slowly while keeping his eyes locked with the Vulcan. There was something in them that he'd never seen in the other Spock's and felt that he wasn’t even capable of it. “You’re not like Spock…or he’s not like you.”

“Expect that after a hundred years of knowing you, doctor, and a career with James Kirk, he will change.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He said shaking his head. McCoy couldn't find the word for it and gave up. His eyes settling on the photo still in Spock's possession and a familiar loneliness started to seep into his heart. As cadet's they were closer than brothers, but there was always a part of Jim, a void of some kind, that McCoy was never apart of and never understood, but it had been filled now—filled by gotten revenge and the Enterprise. "It is only going to get worse now that the ship’s his, right?"

Spock didn't answer directly, but instead handed him the photo. "Do not forget this."

McCoy understood, he should keep the memories because, yes, it would be worse, and took the frame carefully placing it in the box before closing it as well. 

That was it. The extent of his life was now in two boxes ready for transport to the cold nothingness of space and a ship that had been the missing hole in his friend’s life and here he was chatting with the future/past self of a man that irked him to no end. Yet, this familiar stranger showed him nothing but fondness and understanding, so much so that the loneliness suddenly didn't hurt as much. Would he find the same understanding in the other Spock? In time maybe? 

McCoy stood with his arms crossed and asked. “So you knew me? Or… the other me then?”

Spock hesitated a moment, glancing out a window and not talking directly to McCoy. “Your counterpart and I were very dear friends for over sixty years. It was not all that long ago that I lost him.”

“Died?”

Spock finally turned back to him. “Of old age. In Georgia.”

McCoy took a deep breath. In was slightly unnerving to hear this, but oddly comforting. His death sounded peaceful. And after all he’d seen recently, he’d be lucky if he lived to see that.

“Was he happy?”

“Yes, he was.”

McCoy cleared his throat and moved on from the subject. "What about you? Where are you going?"

"I have made myself known to the remaining Vulcan Council. I will be assisting them set up a colony."

"So, we'll never see each other again."

"I do not think so." Spock schooled his expression so he'd not give away his displeasure. And he was displeased about it. This McCoy, unlike the other counterparts he’d met, was so much more a like that not with his own time’s Leonard that, it was difficult to have to let go of him again. 

It fascinated him that McCoy looked somewhat distressed at this as well. "You may find what you are looking for in an unlikely place Doctor McCoy, but Jim will always need you. There is solace to be found in that."

McCoy sighed “He’s still gonna need an old southern doctor, when he’s got a pointy-eared super computer?"

Spock nodded "It is imperative that you not forget that computer's, like humans, rely ultimately on a compilation of hardware and programming."

"Try telling that to Spock."

"He'll see in time.”

“Will he?”

“To keep up with the rest of the illogical humans he has surrounded himself with? There is no doubt.”

McCoy still looked sceptical and now a little lost, but that was something only time could change.

“I must leave you now, as we both have posts to report to.” Spock put up his hand and stood up straighter in full Vulcan Salute.

"Live long and prosper, Leonard McCoy."


End file.
